Zucchini Bread

What could be better than a yummy treat the whole family loves, that just so happens to be filled with vegetables too?  This recipe for zucchini bread is moist, flavorful, and reminiscent of what grandma used to make.  

Recipe Source: All Recipes

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Posted by Kristina


The Ingredients: (makes 2-3 loaves)

• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup apple sauce
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-3 cups grated zucchini

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.                   

Beat eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla, and sugar together in a separate bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini.  (Do not drain the excess liquid from the zucchini, but add it to the mixture!)

Grating the zucchini. You do not have to peel the skins off, but I like to!

Grated Zucchini

Pour batter into floured and greased bread pans.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

I made 3 small loaves

ENJOY!

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Roasted Vegetable Baguette with Goat Cheese

With the warm weather approaching, I am suddenly in the mood for more vegetable oriented food.  My husband recently bought me a Mediterranean Cookbook and I am having fun thumbing down all sorts of pages of things to try.  This dinner is a variation on one of the recipes that I found.  Everything in this dish just screams the South of France.  Plus, it's good comfort food that is good for you!  If you don't like Goat cheese (or Chevre) then it is easily adjustable to your likes.  

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by: Jen

Ingredients:

For 2 sandwiches: 
2 Hoagie buns or a baguette
1 zucchini
1 red pepper
1 small onion (or 1/2 medium)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tube goat cheese (it usually comes in a cylinder type shape)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
couple tsp Herbs de Provence (optional)
Dijon mustard (optional)
Eggplant, (optional)  I just don't like it.




Directions:
Slice your vegetables, lengthwise so as to fit inside your bun.  

 I know the recipe says "roasted" and IF you want to roast them, then toss all your vegetables in olive oil (and herbs).  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Then place vegetables on a roasting pan and bake in oven until fork tender, about 10 minutes.  


IF you want to do this on the grill, then slice them a little thicker and also toss your veggies with olive oil.  Place on the grill until fork tender.  (Or place veggies in a pan safe for your grill)


Personally, I sauteed my vegetables because it's a little faster.  (and I don't have access to a grill).  I heated up my olive oil and then added in my veggies.

 In case you can get your hands on some Herbs de Provence I highly recommend it.  They are (usually but not always) a blend of dried herbs such as savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender.  I've seen them in World Market, Wegmans, and I'm sure that you can find them in other stores.  Cook them in with the vegetables.

 Cook the vegetables until fork tender over medium heat.  (about 5-8 min)

 While veggies are cooking, thinly slice your cheese.  Now if you don't like goat cheese, I'm sure that any other kind of cheese would work.  From mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or even Swiss.  Also, preheat your broiler in your oven to melt your cheese.

 Slice your hoagie buns (or baguette) down the middle without slicing it all the way through.  If desired, spread some Dijon mustard inside your buns.  Stuff with vegetables and then top with slices of cheese.  Place on the top shelf of your oven and melt the cheese just until it bubbles or gets toasty brown.  (only a couple minutes.  Do NOT walk away from your oven at this time to set the table or yell at kids)

 Serve with a good salad and drink.  

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Breakfast Biscuit Cups

Need a hearty breakfast you can grab and go?  This is a perfect make-ahead breakfast.  Make them one day, then individually wrap them, freeze them, and pop into the microwave for another day.  Based on the response they got from my husband (who dubbed these a true manly man's breakfast) and the teachers at a teacher appreciation breakfast I brought them to, they were pretty tasty too!  They are also easily adjustable to your own tastes.  I haven't experimented with them yet, but you could make these with any combination of meat and eggs and gravy that struck your fancy and having it all wrapped up in a pre-made biscuit is sure to make them a hit!     

 Recipe Source:  Taste of Home

   Click here for printable recipe.

Posted by Lara. 


The ingredients:  (makes 8 biscuit cups)

SAUSAGE GRAVY:
1/3 lb. ground pork sausage (I used hot Italian sausage)
1 Tbs. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup milk

EGG/HASH BROWN MIXTURE
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 cup hash brown potatoes, thawed (if frozen)
2 eggs
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
1 Tbs. milk
1/4 tsp. pepper

1 can (16.3-ounces) large refrigerated flaky biscuits (like Grands)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

Directions:
FOR SAUSAGE GRAVY:  Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the flour, salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper until blended.  Gradually add 3/4 cup milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

FOR EGG/HASH BROWN MIXTURE:  Add butter and potatoes to a large skillet.  Cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender (this could take 10-15 minutes or more depending on how big the potatoes chunks are).  Whisk the eggs, garlic salt, and 1 tablespoon milk and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; add to skillet.  Cook and stir until almost set. 

TO COMPILE:  Press each biscuit onto the bottom and up the sides of eight ungreased (normal size) muffin cups. 

Spoon the egg mixture, into the bottoms of each biscuit cup.  Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cheese.  

Spoon sausage/gravy mixture over the egg/hash brown/cheese layers.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

BAKE at 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.  Serve immediately with fresh fruit.   Makes 8 biscuit cups. 

FREEZING DIRECTIONS:  Allow biscuit cups to cool completely, then tightly wrap individual biscuit cups in foil; freeze for up to 3 months.  To eat at a later date, unwrap, then microwave on high for 50-60 seconds or until heated through. 

Enjoy! 

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Cinnamon Churro Chocolate Chex Mix

I have always loved muddy buddies, so when I saw this twist, I had to try it!  The original recipe calls for cinnamon chips, but since I couldn't find those anywhere, I just used semi-sweet chocolate chips.  It was delicious!  I loved the combination of chocolate and cinnamon.

Adapted from: Just Another Day in Paradise

Click here for printable recipe.

By Katie

The Ingredients:

9 cups Chex cereal

3 cups chocolate chips 

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Measure out chex into large bowl.

In separate microwave proof bowl, melt chocolate chips.  Heat for 1 minute, stir.

Continue to heat at 30 second increments until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Pour chocolate over chex and stir until evenly coated.
Mix together sugars and cinnamon.

Pour over chex/chocolate mixture and stir until well coated.

Spread evenly over baking sheet and let sit until chocolate has hardened. Or just eat now and enjoy the messiness :)

Enjoy!

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Chewy Brownie Double Chocolate Cookies

 I have a hard time deciding which I like more-- a fresh, hot cookie straight from the oven or little snitches of the dough before they're done.  With these chocolatey cookies it won't matter, since both the dough and  finished product were amazing!   They have a soft yet chewy texture that is reminiscent of a brownie and with double chocolate, they're sure to satisfy any chocolate hankerings as well! 

For those of you wondering about my son with leukemia, I thought I'd give a little update here as well.  We had been worried that he was going to spend his 17th birthday in the hospital, but the timing between his rounds turned out just perfectly and he got to be home for his birthday.  Although that was birthday gift enough for him, he also was showered with cards from all over the country (and world), which turned out to be a fun gift for him as well.  He is back in the hospital now for his fourth and hopefully last round of chemo. 

Click here for printable recipe. 

Posted by Lara.

The ingredients:


2/3 cup shortening (Crisco)
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 Tbs. water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 package (12-ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream shortening, brown sugar, water, and vanilla together.  Add eggs and mix well.  Add flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda; mix just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips. 

Bake 7-9 minutes on parchment paper lined cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes. 

The tops of the cookies should still look slightly moist when done. 

Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. 

Make 24-30 medium size cookies perfect for dipping into a big glass of milk. 

Enjoy! 

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